Egypt's public prosecutor resigns

Egypt's new public prosecutor, appointed by President Mohamed Morsi last month
when he assumed sweeping new powers, has offered his resignation in a move
welcomed by Mr Morsi's opponents as a victory for the independence of the
judiciary.

Public prosecutor Talaat Ibrahim Abdallah stepped down after a furore among judges who said Mr Morsi's decision in November to sack the former public prosecutor and appoint Mr Abdallah was an assault on their independence.

"The prosecutor general has submitted his resignation under pressure from protesters," a source told AFP, referring to magistrates who have been clamouring for his immediate departure. In his resignation letter published by the state news agency Mena, Mr Abdallah said he wished to "return to his work in the judicial system".

Earlier in the day, hundreds of magistrates had organised a sit-in outside his office and demanded that he stand down.

The former public prosecutor, Abdel Maguid Mahmoud, had served for many years under former President Hosni Mubarak who was ousted by a popular uprising in February 2011.